


DOKI DOKI! Legato

by evmara



Category: Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, Comedy, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-18 05:07:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21505666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evmara/pseuds/evmara
Summary: Today, I woke up ready to endure another tedious day all by my lonesome. After all, why would this day be any different from the others? But what made today different from every other bland, monotonous day was the reappearance of my childhood friend. My best friend. Someone I could count on. Someone I cared about, and someone who cared about me. Once she and I had to spend less time together, I felt nothing but unadulterated isolation. I had lost a part of myself. But now, she had come back, and she promised me that things would be better from now on.Where would I be without you, Monika...?
Relationships: Monika/Protagonist (Doki Doki Literature Club!), Monika/The Player (Doki Doki Literature Club!)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. "Konnichi wa, Monika!"

**Author's Note:**

> **DISCLAIMER** : I do not own "Doki Doki Literature Club!" or any of the characters within this story, nor am I affiliated with its creators. "Doki Doki Literature Club!" is property of Dan Salvato and Team Salvato. 
> 
> **AUTHOUR'S NOTE** : I have written stories (of poor quality, might I add) in a similar vein to this one, though this is my first time writing what could be considered a "true fanfiction." I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to comment on my work! Any input is valuable to someone looking to grow as a writer. 
> 
> Thank you!

* * *

| _Da capo_ |

It's a typical weekday morning. A lukewarm breeze, tolerable weather, and a blend of a blue and orange hue coat the sky as the sun rises. In other words, everything is the same as it always has been. I say that as if it's a bad thing, which it definitely isn't, as the temperature could be too high or too low. It could even rain. But days like these are never anything to write home about, either. If anything, the quality of the day depends not on things _outside_ of your control, but things you _can_ control. For instance, the time you wake up, the conversations you initiate, and the people you try and befriend. Things like that can go a long way in making your day better. No matter how small these things may be, their true importance comes from their long-term effect. If you willingly go out of your way and try to make things interesting for yourself, then you're establishing a foundation for better things to come. Change doesn't happen overnight, after all. 

"... heh," I laugh at my internal monologue as I step out the front door and close it behind me. I pull out my keys, lock the door, and turn the knob twice in order to make sure it's locked. Even though I should leave, I continue to grip the knob, my hold on it tightening as I reflect on my inner thought process. "... I should practice what I preach." 

I finally let go of the knob and make my way onto the sidewalk. Opening and closing the gate to my house, I double-check my pants and blazer pockets just in case I forgot anything essential while I was getting ready, but it looks like I have everything I need. I straighten my bag, and begin my morning walk to school.

* * *

My walk is the same as it has been for a while now: quiet. Save for the sound of passing cars and distant conversations, there was never anything to really engage me during my walk. At most, I would accidentally bump into another student on the way to school, or smile back at any stranger who felt the need to greet anyone that passed by. Otherwise, my walk was filled to the brim with the sound of local ambience, wind blowing, and people entertaining others during their daily commute. I always envied those people as I was, admittedly, a loner who didn't have the drive to reach out and get to know other people. When it came to friendship, I never found myself approaching others, instead waiting for other people to approach me if they felt like they wanted to be my friend. This was back when I was still in elementary. I'm in high school now, and I haven't changed a bit. 

Well, that's _half_ -true.

For starters, even though I wake up really early, I'd like to imagine that in an ideal world, I would be waking up half an hour before school began since I don't live that far from the school I attend. The walk from my house to there is about ten minutes, and I can see the crosswalk from where I am now, which is five minutes away from where I live. I'd like to imagine that another me in some parallel world or something like that is living a life of luxury with that extra amount of sleep. As for me, I got into the habit of waking up early a long time ago, and here I am now, roaming these nearly-isolated streets, a good while before people start coming out and livening them up.

But as much as I'd love to sleep in, there really isn't any solid argument against waking up early in the morning. For starters, it provides you with the opportunity to get a start on a productive day, as you have more time to deal with homework, housework, and so on. I mean, I personally spend 50 percent of my time finishing up my assignments and doing chores, and the other 50 percent reading manga, binging anime, and watching video games, so I don't have anything against having more time to enjoy myself. Also, I don't live with my parents, so I have to make sure that I get up early, which is another thing in and of itself. Getting up early is proof that you're taking care of yourself, as waking up early can often be a telltale sign that you aren't looking after your health. For example, if you stay up late at night binging videos on the internet, then of course you're going to have trouble waking up early in the morning. But that sleep deprivation can have serious consequences, in both the short and long terms. So just sleeping at a reasonable time and getting up early is a step towards a healthier life.

... of course, I never thought about it like that before. I had been indifferent to my sleeping schedule in juniour high school. After all, I would only be young for so long, so why not just use my time the way I wanted to use it, right? It was only then that someone decided to barge in on me when I was still asleep in the afternoon. On a weekend, no less.

* * *

" _Itsuki Ikari!_ " a stern, shrill voice called out to me. I could barely comprehend what was happening at the moment since I was half-awake, having spent most of the night catching up on the latest season of my favourite anime and reading up on news about the upcoming OVA. My vision a blur, I could only muster enough energy to squint at the person that was towering over me. I couldn't make out her facial expression, but with how she was leaning over me, I could tell that she was upset. " _Why are you still asleep?! It's already noon!_ "

My mind began to fire itself up as I recognized that voice. Yeah, she's here because I promised her that we would hang out today, but didn't I say I'd meet with her later in the day...? It's only—

" _Hello?!_ "

" _Eugh..._ " I groaned as I pulled myself off of my luxurious pillow. I could sense her unwavering figure still standing in front of me, her uptight attitude heavily contrasting my groggy demeanor. I covered my mouth as I yawned and began rubbing my eyes, my free eye taking notice of the time on the clock on my dresser. " _Okay... O-okay, I'm... aw..._ " I tried piecing together words to form a sentence, but it was clear to her that I was struggling. I'm certain that annoyed her even more.

" _... I'm awake... and aren't you a bit early...? We still have..._ " I paused as I tried to recount the amount of time left until our agreed-upon meeting. " _... still have an hour and a half..._ "

I nearly fall back onto my pillow, the hours that were lost to the night attempting to make themselves known to the world. " _You idiot,_ " I hear her say to me as I feel her small, soft hands clutch my back and head. "A _s if me coming over to your place early has ever been an issue to you. And how many times do I have to tell you about sleep deprivation?_ " She has me sit up straight in my bed as she walks over to my desk and pulls a chair closer to the bed. 

" _I-I know..._ " I tell her, well aware of what she's going to say next. In spite of my condition, I try my best to justify staying up late. " _... It's the weekend though, Moni... I just wanted to—_ " 

" _Just... go wash your face and wake yourself up,_ " she hesitantly says to me as she looks at my bedroom window. " _I'll wait for you downstairs. Just let me know when you're ready, and we can go._ "

Dazed, but conscious enough to detect her shift in attitude, I give her a weak nod before stretching one more time. I grab the edge of my blanket and position myself to stand up, but before I can do that, she's already taken a seat on the edge of the bed. I pull back as I realize that I'm about to move right into her, my eyes widening and my mouth agape as I try to get out an apology. My attempts at apologizing to her are rendered obsolete, however, as she moves a hand to my face. Her thumb clutching one cheek, and her four digits gripping the other, she pulls my face towards hers, forcing me to stare into her... gorgeous, emerald eyes. I instinctively blush at just how close our faces are, while her expression remains dead serious. She finally opens her mouth and begins to speak, her free hand moving towards my own.

" _Promise me,_ " she says as she puts her palm up against my own, before letting the rest of my hand hang free as her pinky links with mine. She retains eye contact with me as she does this, intensifying my blush. I try to tell her that I promise I won't sleep late again, but she manages to get a word out before I do. I relent, but my view on our intimate situation changes once she makes her desire clear.

" _Promise me that you won't slowly kill yourself by sleeping late._ " 

I had been having trouble staying awake during the entirety of this ordeal, but the way she said that... s-she's really serious about something as minor as... 

" _Promise me that you'll wake up early from now on._ "

" _... Y-yes, I..._ " My mind does nothing but replay what she said over and over again. The intonation, enunciation, and intent all stand out, each of these things grabbing at me. I had seen her serious side before, but this was... new. I hadn't realized she was this... concerned. 

" _... I promise, Monika._ "

* * *

...

That's how it began. Ever since then, I had committed to sleeping before midnight and waking up around the time the sun begins to dawn. Like I said before, there are definitely some really solid arguments to be made in favour of getting up early, but...

I made a promise to Monika.

A promise that I plan on keeping. I had never seen her so concerned before that day, and I still think back to when she made me promise her that from time to time. I mean, we had known each other for a long while, so by that point we knew the ins and outs to one another's character, but I had never seen her like that before. At first, I thought of it as nothing more than genuine concern for a good friend, but... I realized that even though Monika had other friends, her free time largely revolved around me. Contrariwise, I didn't have many friends, with Monika naturally being the only person I could confide in, save for my family. As a result, we spent almost every day together, whether it be in classes together or when we were free. So when Monika made me promise to stop 'slowly killing myself,' it wasn't her just acting in good faith and saying what a friend should say.

She was saying it because she was _scared_.

These days, it's quite hard to come across someone that _doesn't_ have a healthy sleeping schedule. Even back then, our classmates would compete over how late they stayed up, with each one trying to one-up the other. It's become a norm nowadays for people to sleep less than they actually need to. While all of this was going on, Monika decided to educate herself on the effect of sleep deprivation on the human mind and body. Suffice to say, things weren't pretty. She became pretty adamant about both of us getting good amounts of sleep, so I should've expected her to react the way she did when she found out that I had still decided to waste some nights doing nothing but browsing on my computer or phone. She really tried her damndest to make sure I stayed away from bad habits, and I'd like to say that she mostly succeeded. I'm still trying to get a hold on getting closer to people I barely know, but that's a whole issue in and of itself. 

If only we could...

... wait, where am I—?

I snap out of my trance and find myself standing still at the crosswalk. I flinch as a car continues to drive down the road, the sound of its body grounding my consciousness in reality. T-that's probably someone that's either late to work, or just impatient. They know that they still have to yield, right? Sigh, whatever. You... have to watch out for those people. The ones that don't pay attention. Although, I've gotten myself into trouble with how often I've been spacing out recently, so I guess I'm not one to talk. Though in my case, I'm not the one handling a machine capable of _murder_. I let out another sigh as I check both sides of the road to see if there are signs of oncoming cars. Looks like I'm clear. Just as I'm about to cross the street, I feel _something_ grab me by the arm and pull me back. I reflexively pull away from whatever's pulling me back onto the sidewalk, and step back.

"H-hey! What are you—" 

I stop as my eyes meet with her's. 

Her delicate, hazelnut hair. Her emerald-green eyes. _The bow I bought her_.

"M-Moni?" I ask, surprised by her sudden appearance.

"Good morning, Itsuki!" she says to me with both of her arms behind her back. She smiles at me as she greets me, her grin putting my mind at ease. "I'm so glad I caught you this morning! It's... been a while since we've walked to school together, huh?" Though she speaks with confidence, I can hear her voice break slightly when she mentions how long it's been since the two of us have walked together.

"Er..." I struggle to find the appropriate words for the occasion. Occasion? I-it's just Monika. I'm just happy to see her, it's just... "... y-yeah, it has." I can't help but do the same, my voice cracking as I try to get the words out.

Before I know it, Monika rushes up and wraps both of her arms around me. At first, I hold off on the hug as I try to remain composed emotionally. It isn't long before I give in and hug her back.

... it's been too long.

I can hear a slight sniffle coming from my chest as I feel Monika strengthen her hold on me, as if she doesn't want to let go. Honestly, neither do I. We both savour the moment, before pulling back. She seems... happy.

"Ahaha," she laughs nervously, "I'm sorry for rushing straight into that. It's just... I-I had to get that out of the way, you know?" A slight blush coats her face. Following that hug, I'm aware that I'm getting red as well. 

"I know. I would've done the same." I can't help but smile. 

Monika and I have known each other since we were kids since our families lived right next to each other. Even though I suck when it comes to people today, I was quite the adventurous young boy back then—at least, within the confines of my backyard. At that point, the two of us meeting each other wasn't a matter of 'if,' but 'when,' since it would've been impossible for her not to catch me playing outside of my house. But when she did finally see me playing all by myself and asked if she could join in, it felt as if I was seeing someone I used to know again after a really long time. From there, a tight-knit friendship began to develop, and ever since then, we've had each other's backs. Even after she moved, we were close enough to each other that we could still hang out and walk to school together, albeit with the two of us having to meet at this very crosswalk.

Imagine that. Monika and me. Two completely different people, becoming best friends. It's really something that can only happen thanks to pure luck. I find it hard to believe myself, sometimes.

"Eheheh..." she laughs, although it's clear to see that it's a laugh trying to mask her regret. "I won't argue that, but... we wouldn't have to feel like this if I weren't so busy." She starts looking down at her feet, her hands intermingling with one another as she shoulders the blame for the time we lost. She lets out a sigh as her shy smile transforms into a frown. She's really placing all of the blame on herself, isn't she? 

In spite of our friendship, the two of us are polar opposites when it comes to personality and drive. Whereas I'm your average, quiet student, Monika is, for all intents and purposes, the ideal student. Everyone in our school knows her name, and for good reason, given how she's always getting around, demonstrating what hard work and will power looks like. What else is there for me to say that hasn't already been said about her? She's gifted, hardworking, athletic, intelligent, beautiful, and so on. She might not realize it, but she's the standard the school expects students to meet. The type of person you look at who makes you say, ‘that’s who I want to be like,' or ‘I want to be as good as she is.’ What else is there for me to say that hasn't already been said about her? 

That being said, it was only natural that she became increasingly busy once high school rolled around. Of course, I wanted nothing more but for my best friend to pursue the opportunities available to her. If you want to make a name for yourself, then you're going to have to get out there and start making yourself known. Monika's always been the one with drive and aspirations in our friendship, while I was just... there, really. So of course, I wasn't planning on holding her back from things she clearly wanted to do. That wouldn't have been right of me.

"Hey," I gently call to her as I place my hands on her shoulders, "don't _ever_ blame yourself for this. It... sucks, it really does, but at the same time, look at what you've accomplished! You're on your feet 24/7, making sure community events, clubs, and... whatever else the school hands down to you..." I try to think about what else Monika manages, but she already manages so much, that it's hard to keep track. At the very least, it gets a giggle out of her. "... A-anyways! You already do so much for so many people, Moni. I understand. Don't worry about it."

She looks deep into my eyes for a moment, before a smile takes form on her face. I notice that some students have begun to take to the street across the road, so I decide it would be best for us to start making our way to the school as well. "Why don't we get going, Moni? A walk'll make you feel better!" I say as I beckon her to come and cross the street with me. Her eyes light up, and we begin our walk to school. 

I realize that this may be the only opportunity in the foreseeable future for us to walk together to school, so I try to address that as best as I can. I know I'll miss this once the moment passes, so I might as well try to make the best of it. "Y-you know... even if this is the only opportunity for us to walk together... o-or spend any time together... I'm happy we could at least have this." I turn my head towards her and smile, as to reassure her.

She looks at me for a moment, before her laughter begins to fill the air. “Ahaha!” I’ve missed hearing her laugh too. Wait…

“H-hey, what’s so funny?” I ask. 

“You say that, but don’t forget…” she says as she begins to wag her finger at me. “You’re the one that didn't want to be the Vice-President for my new club! If you had just accepted the position in the first place, then…” Damn it, how could I forget? She had asked me to be the VP for her new club since she had felt as though her old one lost its focus. I think it was the Debate Club? Anyways, she decided she wanted to start up a new one after talking to one of her friends about a potential club focusing on literature. Before I knew it, she came to me asking if I could be the Vice-President of her club, but…

“W-well… you know me, Moni. Literature isn’t really my thing, and besides, even if it were…” I rub the back of my neck nervously. “D-don’t get me wrong! I would if I could, but I’m not really cut out to be the Vice-President of your club, o-or any club, for that matter.” I felt terrible about rejecting her offer, not to mention how hurt she looked when I said no. But again, I’m not really fit to be in that important of a position. Though, it wouldn’t have hurt to give it a try, especially if it meant I got to spend time with her more often. Maybe I made a mistake... 

“Ehehe, I’m just teasing you, silly!” She covers her mouth with the back of her hand as she chuckles, poking fun at how clearly flustered I was becoming. “Like I said back then, I really glad to see that you took the position seriously! Even if your answer then made me a bit sad, things managed to work out in the end. After all, there _is_ a reason I’m bringing it up again! And I think you know why... ehe!”

That immediately catches my attention. Their club _has_ to be official by now, right? I mean, this is Monika I'm talking about. Of course it is! Gah, I'm an idiot! The club's bound to be overflowing with members by now, but the fact that I could've just joined at any time escaped my mind. Granted, we hardly ever had the chance to see each other on campus, but I could've at least made the effort to figure out where her clubroom is and just ask to join. In fact, why didn't I just join the club right then and there? When she asked me to be her Vice-President, she didn't say that I _couldn't_ join the club if I wasn't her Vice-President. Goddamn it. It's all in the past now. My density aside, I'm setting things straight.

“Of course I do! So, uh… I guess this makes me your newest member then, huh?” It felt nice saying that, although there was a caveat to me joining her Literature Club. “But, uh, I’m not too well versed in the world of literature, Moni. So, I might be the odd man out.” 

“Ehehe, don’t be so sure!” She triumphantly stated as her hands moved back down to her hips. She seems way more charismatic than she did before. Probably a byproduct of being both a key player in multiple clubs and our school role model. “Literature comes in many forms, Itsuki. One of our members is insistent on manga being literature. In fact, she could probably make an hour-long presentation on why it is if she really wanted to, ahaha!” 

That’s relieving to hear. Even though Monika and I are as close as can be, our interests don’t really overlap that much. Things just worked the way they did because we were kids with no one else to socialize with. Anyways, she did convince me to start waking up earlier, which makes sense when you’re a student, but if she tried to convince me to get into the types of media she consumes, then she’d have better luck convincing a wall. That being said, I’ll give this guy a sho—

“Hold on,” I pause, my mind catching up to what she just said. “Did you say… she?”

“Mmhmm!” She nods. She immediately widens her eyes. As if she has an idea—uh oh. “Ahaha, what’s the matter? _Are you already falling for this girl~_?” I can feel my face turning red as each word comes out of her mouth. I tug at my collar slightly. 

“N-no! Do I look like the type of guy to fall for someone he’s never even met?” I say as I try to keep from blushing even harder. Damn it, body! Stop thinking like that! “Just who do you take me for?”

The look in her eyes immediately changes after I say that. As if she’s… saddened by what I’ve said? A slight blush begins to form on her face as well. What did I—

“... Aha… w-well,” she says. I can hear her voice waver ever so slightly. “Let’s just say that I know some people that fit that description, ehehe..” She looks slightly embarrassed as she says this. Huh. Maybe that girl she was talking about engages in waifuism or otaku culture? It’s none of my business anyway. That being said…

“Before you decide to hop onto the rumour train, Monika,” I cross my arms, trying to match the authoritative demeanor she had. “I was going to say that I’m actually glad someone shares the same interests as I do, since it means I’ll have an easier time feeling comfortable in the club. I was just surprised that a girl is that defensive over manga is all.” 

Ah, having said that out loud, that sounds wrong. Obviously, girls can be into manga. Nobody should have to hide what their interests are, even if it deviates from the norm. When I think of literature though, I usually think of grandiose novels that explore complex issues like psychology, the human spirit, or world peace, underneath a layer of fantasy. Allegorical things like that. I’d wager that Monika’s into those kinds of work, so I just naturally associated literature with what she’s into, or at least, what I think she’s into. Again, it’s not really my thing, but I’m willing to branch out. 

“Ehehe, ‘defensive’ is putting it _lightly_ , Itsuki,” she laughs nervously. “But don’t worry about that. I’m just glad you’re looking forward to meeting your fellow club members!” She slams her left fist into her free hand’s palm. She seems excited. “And of course... we have to make up for the time we spent away from each other somehow, right? Ahaha!”

I shoot her a smile and a thumbs-up. "Of course."

“I... really can’t wait to introduce you to everyone else. From here on out, things are going to be great for us!” She sounds like she’s just about ready to jump into the air and let all of her happiness and excitement out in one ferocious yell.

This is the Monika I grew up with. 

I can’t stop the smile that’s spreading across my face. Not that I want to, anyway.

“Now come on then, _Itsuki-san_! We have a school to get to!” She proclaims as she begins sprinting down the street. Is it even safe to run in her uwabakis? She didn't even look both ways, for God—H-hey, wait—

“M-Monika, wait up!” I shout as I begin to chase after her. I forget just how competitive she can be when it comes to racing, never mind the fact that I didn't agree to this. Damn it! “And a-also, I thought I told you not to call me that!” 

In the midst of my sprint, I begin to realize just how similar all of this is... this feeling...

It's just like how things were before.

Today, I woke up ready to endure another tedious day all by my lonesome. After all, why would this day be any different from the others? But what made today different from every other bland, monotonous day was the reappearance of my childhood friend. My _best_ friend. Someone I could count on. Someone I cared about, and someone who cared about me. Once Monika and I had to spend less time together, I felt nothing but unadulterated isolation. I had lost a part of myself. But now, she had come back, and she promised me that things would be better from now on.

Where would I be without you, Monika...?

But now was not the time for doubt. It was just like she said.

Things are going to be great for us.

And so begins my time as a member of Monika's Literature Club.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **UPDATE** : Revised as of November 26th, 2019.


	2. The Club

* * *

| _Polyphony_ | 

Hah... at first, I thought it would be cute to at least play along and race Monika to the school, but given my hunched over posture, laboured breathing, and beads of sweat trailing down my forehead, it's safe to say I made a huge error in judgement. Monika, meanwhile, is laughing up a storm, her index finger aimed straight as me as the sound of her laughter permeates the school grounds. 'Glad to see you enjoy my suffering, Moni,' is what I _would_ have said to her, but I'm still in the middle of trying to catch my breath. I guess this goes to show just how fit I am, huh?

"Ahaha! Wow," Monika manages to say as her laughter transitions from boastful howling to mild snickering, "I guess this goes to show just how fit you are, huh?" 

Gee, thanks for the affirmation, Monika. Actually, now that I think about it, how does Monika even manage to stay so fit? While I'm over here emitting insidious amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, Monika hasn't even broken a sweat! It's kind of insane to think about, actually. She has to be on her feet and keep everything running throughout the week. Even on weekends, she can't let up thanks to the multitude of classes she has to keep up with. So for her to be able to do all of that _and_ sneak in some time to exercise in between is... awe-inspiring, actually.

She really is amazing, isn't she? I guess this means that there's no excuse for me to follow in her footsteps and start exercising regularly. She's the one who convinced me to start getting up early in the morning, after all. 

"Phew... yeah, yeah, rub it in all you want," I say as my breathing finally calms. "Might as well ask me to bring a stopwatch so I can time you the next time you pull a stunt like that." 

"Ehehe, is that so?" Her confident voice complements her sly smile. "Then you better make sure to bring one every day! Ahaha!"

As endearing and fun as that sounds, I'd rather not die from overexertion. 

" _Of coouurse, Madam_ ," I reply, a tinge of sarcasm coating my voice. "Now come on, let's head to class. I'm sure you have an eventful day ahead of you."

Her eyebrows perk up, and she smiles sweetly at me. I can't help but smile back at her, and from there, she takes me by the hand and leads me inside. "Maybe so. But the cherry on top is what'll happen once the school day comes to a close. Ehehe... I can't wait." If she's happy, then I'm happy. That's all that matters. But most importantly...

Things will be back to normal. As if nothing ever changed.

But for now, there were six, excruciatingly long hours I had to endure before I can embrace sweet, sweet nostalgia. 

* * *

Hm...

Well, this was a pleasant surprise. The day went by rather quickly, as if nothing ever even happened once my classes began. Ordinarily, you're supposed to be bored out of your mind as minutes start to feel like hours, but I didn't really get that feeling. That probably won't mean well for the homework I was given today, but hey, now that I'm in a club with Monika and... well, what I can only imagine is at least a dozen other people, I can probably ask around for some help if I'm having issues with anything. Though the people she tends to hang around with give off the impression that they're all stuck up and elitist. I'd rather not... actually, no. I shouldn't be jumping to conclusions again. Assumptions, screw-ups, don't want to fall for that trap. Besides, there _is_ that girl that's dead set on proving that manga is literature, so they can't all be nosy jerks, right?

... okay, I went and did it again. Even though I tried to think about this girl and her hobbies in a positive light, it still sounded pretty derogatory. 

Anyways, if I run into trouble with my homework, I'll probably ask her first since Monika's always busy with something. Having a mutual interest will definitely make it easier to talk to her. Who knows, maybe she'll want to be friends with me if we get to know each other. That goes for the rest of the club, too. There's no harm in forging new friendships, and if anything, it'll make Monika happy to see me getting along with so many people. At first, I was excited about the prospect of getting to hang out and talk with Monika again, but now that I think about it, meeting other people will definitely make my weekends—hell, maybe even my _week—_ a lot more lively. Um, actually, let me rephrase that. 

Meeting other people will _hopefully_ make things a lot more lively. No guarantee I'm going to be making friends in this club anytime soon.

Oh well, here's to hoping a good amount of them are manga fans as well, even if that's not exactly something you would wear on your sleeve. Jeez, all of this talk about the club, and it's not even time yet. Just how much longer am I going to have to wait, anyway? I pull out my phone in order to see how much time is le—

Wait...

... I'm late? _How?_

I look at my surroundings in confusion, only to find that I'm all alone. Did I really just space out like that? Did the bell even ring? Just a minute ago, all of my classmates were here, getting ready to leave for the day, and—ah, what the hell, it's fine. It's not like Monika's going to yell at me for being late.

...

You know what? Nevermind. That is _definitely_ within the realm of possibility.

Anyways, uh, time to go. I grab my bag and begin making my way to... making my way to, uhm...

... I have no idea where her club is.

Erm... that's fine. I guess I can just... peek through the window of each door until I see Monika? Uh, yeah, I'll be sure to do that for _each room_ on each... _floor_.

Sounds great! At the very least, it'll make being lost 'fun.' Besides, if I really can't find her clubroom, I can always just cal—

"Eeek!" I hear a girl cry out as a sudden collision sends me stumbling backwards. My balance gives way, and I end up on the classroom floor. You'd think that having a backpack would at least make the fall less painful, but with all of the textbooks inside... ouch.

"Ah! I-I'm sorry!" I say as I pick myself off the ground and rush over to the girl that had just... wait, Monika?

"Monika? Erm, I'm sorry, I wasn't—" 

She groans, before turning towards me. She's clearly annoyed. "Jeez, you really need to work on your spatial awareness, Itsuki," she says as I help her to her feet. She makes sure to dust off her skirt and blazer, then fixes her bow. "And not only that, but you're clearly unreliable when it comes to time!" Her voice begins to raise slightly.

Oh man, this is the part where I get yelled at, isn't it?

"You know," she says, furrowing her brow, "this is the part where you get yelled at." 

Goddamn it.

"... _Psh,_ I'm just kidding!" Her stern frown had been replaced by a rather contagious smile. "I actually realized that I forgot to tell you where our clubroom is before I left, so I told the others that I would just go and get you myself! Besides, there's no way I'd yell at you over anything, silly." She reassures me, before raising her hand to--

_PWAP_

"Ow! Hey, what was that for?" I yell, quickly rubbing my forehead. Did she really have to flick me?

" _That's_ for knocking me over, you goof. Also, why would I yell at you when there are easier ways of getting such cute reactions out of you? Ehehe." Sigh. Well, I guess that isn't exactly an unjust way for her to make things even. Man, I forgot just how cute she could be whenever she's playful like this. I could do without the flicking though.

"Well..." I scratch my chin quickly and acquiesce. "I guess that's fair," I tell her, smiling as I say it. I just noticed this, but it really feels as if nothing's changed. As if the fact that I had essentially spent the last two years all by my lonesome had been made obsolete. It's clear that the both of us disliked how little we got to see each other throughout the year, save for the occasional wave or 'hi' we would give when passing by each other, but now that we're having full-on conversations, everything just feels so... right. I've really missed this.

"Ehe, now that we've settled the matter," Monika says as she clasps her hands together, "I think it's about time we got to our club! We aren't going to accomplish anything by just idling in the hallway now, ahaha!" At this point, taking the initiative is second nature to her. It's basically a job requirement for her.

I follow Monika's lead as she begins to walk towards the stairwell, only for her to stop in her tracks and look back at me with an eyebrow raised. "Hey, Itsuki..." she calls out to me, her mischevious tone grabbing my attention. Is she planning something? She only uses this tone of voice with me when she wants to play a trick on me. Maybe she's planning on introducing me to the other members as the club's Vice-President once I arrive. Nah, I doubt it. She seemed pretty serious when she was talking about inviting me to the club earlier, so it's probably something else. I decide to indulge her.

"What's up, Moni?" I reply, trying to appear oblivious to whatever game she's trying to play. Once she hears me, she pivots on her heel and assumes a crouching position, her hands laid flat on the ground in front of her and one of her legs stretched backwards. What is she... oh no.

" _Reeeady?_ " She asks. " _Seeett..._ " She shoots a look of passion and excitement at me as she shifts her body weight, almost as if she's raring to go.

Please no.

"You're _really_ trying to kill me, huh?" I tell her as she giggles and stands back up. She walks towards me and pokes me on the nose, before turning back and resuming her walk to the stairwell. I chuckle and follow suit. While she's walking, I can notice that she's practically bouncing with each step. Much different from how she usually walks whenever I catch a glimpse of her during the school day, as there, she assumes a more imposing and regal way of presenting herself. She's obviously really happy that all of this has worked out the way it has, but really, there was no way it wasn't going to. 

"You're so funny, Itsuki," she tells me, turning her head so that her eyes can meet mine as we begin to make our way up the staircase. "I should take you out with me for a jog one of these days. That way, you'll be able to keep up with me whenever we race. Ehehe!"

She just really had to drive that point home, huh? I guess it can't be helped. She isn't exactly wrong.

"Well..." I respond instinctively, but there's no way I can fight this one. "Again, fair." I can hear her laugh briefly before we reach the next flight of stairs. At least she's done teasing me about how out of shape I am.

"Hey, now that I mention it," she calls out to me again, "how are you holding up? I can get you some water if you need after this next flight. Ehe!"

Scratch that thought.

* * *

"Okay Monika, the joke's over now. Where's the club?"

Peering through a club window, she pulls back and sighs. "Aw man," she says dejectedly. Jokingly dejectedly. Dejectedly jokingly? "I _for suuure_ thought that it was this one, but man. Now we're going to have to check _each and every other_ clubroom until I find the others!" She places a hand over her forehead to show that the 'situation' is 'stressing' her out. What a comedian.

I never should have told her how I _(jokingly!)_ planned on getting to the clubroom. Between this, the 'race' from this morning, and me walking into her all happening within the span of one day, she already has a month's worth of jokes at my expense ready. Awesome. She snickers once more after hearing my disapproval, and finally leads me to what I hope is the clubroom. I'm not entirely sure if she led me across the school for the sake of poking fun at me, but given how far this room is from my last class, I wouldn't be surprised if she used that to her advantage and decided to make things fun along the way. For herself, that is. 

"Here we are!" She proclaims, her eyes sparkling with excitement and determination. 

I cross my arms. "For real?" 

"For real!" she happily replies. She still has that mischevious look on her face, but it's clear to see that we've finally arrived. "Give me a second though, okay?"

She gently opens the clubroom door, turning towards me as she's about to enter and gesturing for me to wait right where I am before stepping into the class, with one hand keeping the door slightly ajar. Okay? 

Also, I don't hear anything coming from within the clubroom. No chairs moving, no footsteps, no conversation... Nothing. We can't possibly be the first ones here since she said she told the other members she would come to get me. So then why is it so quiet...? I guess since it's a literature club, there's bound to be plenty of reading involved, so I suppose that would explain why everyone's so quiet. Suddenly, I hear Monika speak up.

"Okay, everyone!" her firm voice nearly echoes throughout the hallway. She can really slip into that 'face of the school' persona on a whim, huh? "As I mentioned before, there's someone I've been wanting you all to meet! Please make sure to make him feel welcome, as he's going to be our newest member!" She steps back outside and beckons to me, a wide grin gracing her face. I take a deep breath, and walk through the door as Monika holds it open for me. As I walk in, I close my eyes and put up a casual salute to seem friendly. It'll probably give them the impression that I feel like I'm trapped in here with them, but if anything, they're trapped in here with _me_. 

... because I cannot formally introduce myself to save my life, and running away would break Monika's heart. So here I am.

"A-ah, hello, everyone!" I make myself known to everyone. I open my eyes so that I can familiarize myself with my fellow club members as I continue to introduce myself. "It's nice to meet you all! M-my name is, uh..." I stop as I realize that the club is nearly empty, save for three girls situated far away from one another. There aren't any other boys, and... all three of them are staring right at me.

The first girl I take notice of is the one closest to me and Monika. It looks like she was in the middle of reading some sort of a... novel about the paranormal before Monika and I came in, as she's just sitting at her desk with her book wide open. She looks as if she's been disturbed by our sudden entrance, but that's offset by how interested she appears to be in my introduction. Her long, rich, violet hair catches my eye, as do her lavender irises, and before I know it, she begins to sport a small, timid smile, as if to assure me that she'd be happy to make me feel welcome like Monika wants her to. 

Behind her, I notice a younger-looking girl crossing her arms near the room's open closet, the rows of empty desks separating her from the rest of us. She has fluffy and vibrant pink hair, with two red ribbons resting on the sides of her head along with her pigtails. Unlike the other girl, who gave me a smile as a way of letting me know I'm welcome here, she has a look of perplexion on her face. Her eyebrows lower, and her frown becomes a smug smile as she unfolds her arms and rests her fists on her hips. She grins at me, revealing a white set of teeth along with two visible fangs. 

Uh... cool? I nervously wave at her since I'm pretty sure she's going to throw a chair at me sooner or later if I keep looking at her.

Finally, I look towards the window to see another girl leaning along the windowsill, with her hands gripping the ledge in order to keep herself propped up. The light outside illuminates her figure at the seams, but it's easy to make out her distinctive appearance. A red bow, similar to the one that Monika wears, nestles itself neatly between gorgeous locks of short hair of a subdued pink hue. Unlike the others, her collar is crooked, and her blazer is both slightly rumpled and unbuttoned, exposing her bright orange sweater vest underneath. Students that don't strictly adhere to the dress code are often seen as tardy and unkempt, but this style clearly suits her. Her bright blue eyes meet mine, and I smile to her. Just like with the girl close by, she smiles right back. She doesn't seem as apprehensive as the girl with violet hair is, yet she lacks the air of superiority the girl with pink hair has. She's... just right? I'm not sure how to put it into words. 

Just through their body language, I can ascertain the sort of personalities each of them has. It would definitely be nice to become friends with all of these girls. Especially her. I'm not sure why.

I guess I can just liken the feeling to running into a really old friend. 

I'm caught off guard by a voice coming from the back of the room, and it would appear that the others were too as everyone turns towards the girl in the back. 

" _Monika_ ," she sneers, "if you're going to bring your boyfriend to the club, you could at least tell him to finish introducing himself before ogling at us."


End file.
